Scott Cawthon
Scott Cawthon | |
|---|---|
Cawthon in 2025 | |
| Born | Scott Braden Cawthon June 4, 1978 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Other names | Animdude |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
| Notable work | Five Nights at Freddy's |
| Children | 6 |
Scott Braden Cawthon (born June 4, 1978) is an American video game developer, writer, and producer. He created Five Nights at Freddy's, a series of horror video games which expanded into a media franchise.
Cawthon began his career developing family-friendly Christian video games to minimal success. He transitioned to horror with the first Five Nights at Freddy's game in 2014 to Secret of the Mimic in 2025, which was a commercial success and gained a cult following. Cawthon developed eight games in the main series, four spin-offs, and countless fan-made materials as of 2025.
Outside of the games, Cawthon wrote several stories for the franchise, including novels and the screenplay for the Five Nights at Freddy's film (2023) and its 2025 sequel, both of which he also produced. Cawthon largely stepped away from game development in June 2021 after his political donations were publicized, leading to doxing and harassment.